One of Five Free Agents Picked Up by NFL Teams, Kaufman Heads for Mini-Camp May 10-12

Former Eastern Washington University football player
Brandon Kaufman has company.

One of the biggest groups of NFL free agent signees in school
history – plus one who will receive a tryout this Thursday
– are among the five players who will have the opportunity
this spring and summer to make the rosters of National Football
League teams.

Kaufman, a wide receiver who left the Eagle program early,
agreed to terms with the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo’s official
announcement on Monday (April 29) said that the players will sign
contracts on the eve of the team’s rookie mini-camp, which
takes place May 10-12.

The Dallas Cowboys also officially announced the signing of
receiver Greg Herd, and the Oakland Raiders
officially announced that the signing of 2012 Eastern quarterback
Kyle Padron. Both teams will have their rookie
mini-camps on May 10-12.

Although no official team announcement has been made, wide
receiver Nicholas Edwards will sign with the
Minnesota Vikings and will attend their rookie mini-camp on May
3-5. Offensive tackle Will Post will attend a
tryout with the Atlanta Falcons this Thursday prior to the
team’s rookie mini-camp on May 3-5.

Herd will be reunited in Dallas with former Eagle safety
Matt Johnson, who was a fourth-round draft choice
by the Cowboys in 2012. Padron will be in Oakland with former EWU
running back Taiwan Jones, a fourth-round choice
in 2011.

Kaufman will be in good company in Buffalo, which was home for
nine of the 11 seasons in the illustrious NFL career of former
Eagle safety Kurt Schulz. Schulz, a member of the
Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame who played for the Eagles from
1988-91, still resides in the Buffalo area.

“He’s big, strong and has deceptive speed where he
gets on top of people and gets downfield,” said Bills scout
Brad Forsyth of Kaufman. “He uses his height, length and
strong hands to make a lot of plays downfield. He dominated that
level of competition. He’s a junior coming out early, so
he’s still young. But he has a legit chance.”

A total of 68 Eagles (69 if Post ends up signing) have been
drafted or signed free agent contracts with NFL or Canadian
Football League teams since 1989, as well as several others at
levels of pro football. In 1987, five players were either drafted
or signed free agent contracts (Ed Simmons, Craig Richardson, Mike
Kingston, Eric Riley, Bill Altena) and 20 years later in 2007, four
signed (Brandon Keeler, Keith Grennan, Harrison Nikolao, Brett
Bergstrom).

“It’s awesome for the program, and it’s
awesome for the individuals involved,” said Eastern head
coach Beau Baldwin. “I am just excited that
we have a lot of guys off last year’s team who are going to
get an opportunity to prolong their football careers, which is the
dream. It’s cool, and it will be neat (to see).”

Two other former Eagles who participated in EWU’s Pro Day
on March 6 – linebacker Zach Johnson and
defensive end Jerry Ceja – are also hoping
to find a home in the professional ranks.

“No matter how good a football team you have, it’s
pretty neat to have that many players get an opportunity with NFL
teams,” Baldwin added. “And we could end up with a
sixth – Zach definitely has the ability to be in a NFL camp,
without question.”

EWU’S 2013 CLASS OF PROFESSIONALS

The two-time FCS All-American finished his 42-game career
with 221 catches (third in school history, seventh in Big Sky
history) for 3,731 yards (second all-time at EWU, fourth in the Big
Sky and 19th in FCS) and 33 touchdowns (second in school history).
He earned the 2012 FCS Wide Receiver Award from College Football
Performance Awards (CFPA). Kaufman had a FCS-record 1,850 yards
receiving in 2012, to go along with 93 receptions, 16 TDs and an
average of 19.9 yards per catch. He helped lead the Eagles to the
NCAA Division I title in 2010 and the semifinals of the FCS
Playoffs in 2012. Kaufman is from Denver, Colo., and graduated in
2009 from Heritage High School.

An FCS All-American for EWU in 2011, Edwards finished fifth
all-time in Eastern history in receiving yards with 2,634, and was
sixth in points scored with 202. His 215 career catches ranks
fourth in school history and his 33 TD receptions were second (the
record is 46). His 95 receptions in 2011 were a school record, and
he finished the year with 1,250 yards and a school-record 19 TDs.
He helped lead the Eagles to the NCAA Division I title in 2010 and
the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs in 2012. Edwards was a 2008
graduate of Foss High School in Tacoma, Wash.

While at Eastern, the 2011 FCS All-America selection finished
his Eastern career with 165 receptions to rank ninth all-time at
EWU. His catches were good for 2,348 yards to rank 11th in school
history, and he also had 17 touchdowns (13th). His 66 catches in
2012 rank as the 12th-most in school history. Herd is from Tacoma,
Wash., and graduated from Steilacoom High School in 2009.

Padron played one season at Eastern Washington after starting 21
games at Southern Methodist. He started five games and played six
others as a sub, as he helped the Eagles finish with a
school-record 4,469 passing yards. Padron completed 59.1 percent of
his passes for a team-leading 2,491 yards, 17 TDs and seven
interceptions, and ranked 29th in FCS in passing yards per game
(226.5). He had a school-record six touchdown passes versus
Illinois State (12/8/12) in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs,
as the Eagles advanced as far as the semifinals. Padron graduated
in 2009 from Southlake (Texas) High School.

Will Post – Offensive Tackle –Lettered at EWU2009-10-11-12Will receive a tryout with the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL in
2013.

Post earned four All-America honors in 2012 for EWU, including
recognition from the American Football Coaches Association (first
team) and Associated Press (first team). Post started every game at
right offensive tackle in 2012, with a total of 37 career starts in
45 games played. The first team All-Big Sky selection and team
co-captain allowed just one sack in the regular season. The Eagles
had a season-best 542 total yards versus Cal Poly (11/3/12) and
finished third in the Big Sky and 14th in FCS in total offense
(442.0) and seventh in FCS in passing offense (318.9 per game). He
helped lead the Eagles to the NCAA Division I title in 2010 and the
semifinals of the FCS Playoffs in 2012. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound
Post is from Portland, Ore., and graduated from Southridge High
School in 2008.